4-1/2 stars, I rounded up. I got this as a Kindle First Reads, and I don't always have high expectations for those, but this one really grabbed me. The characters are well-drawn and the pacing is generally really good, though it does drag in a couple spots. I do have a quibble with how the author shifts from first-person POV--which it should be, as almost every chapter is an on- or off-the-record account told to the narrator--to third-person omniscient in some of the chapters, and it's a bit jarring. That aside, I enjoyed this book very much. ( )

Well written, but not much to hold my interest. zzzzzzzzzzz............. ( )

Wow.

That's a very rare reaction for me when I finish a book, but it was my reaction to this novel.

It's rare for science fiction books to be about character, but that's what this one is, from start to finish. Who is Captain Aames? He is a truly fascinating character: he is brusque, dismissive, and arrogant, and yet has earned the absolute loyalty of his crew, who stick with him at the cost of their own careers. How could that happen?

The story is told from the viewpoint of the inspector general (basically, a judge) who has to decide his case. We aren't even told what the issue is until late in the book, only that it concerns some action of Captain Aames'. The inspector general talks to Captain Aames' crew, trying to understand this puzzle of a man about whom she must pass judgement. The investigation makes this book a collection of enthralling short stories, all tied together because of the perspective they give on this enigmatic man. I'm not usually so enthusiastic, but after each story I had to pause to catch my breath. These are very good, action-packed short stories of a wide range of genres: a story of survival on Mars after a disaster, a romance, a spoiled kid grows up story, etc.. These were all very well done and could probably stand on their own. I found the sheer breadth of topics to be dazzling.

Despite its interest in character, this novel is hard science fiction--the kind of story where when you take the science out, you lose the story. So many of the details depend on the science (which is explained pretty well, by the way; it's not hard to read). This makes the emphasis on character all the more unusual. Sometimes it seems like the people who understand the science enough to make it realistic do not understand humans enough to make them realistic. I find that to be true in so many classics of science fiction, but not in this novel.

I suppose some might find the ending unrealistic. (No spoilers here.) But what else could she have done in good conscience? I didn't find it entirely convincing either, but I think that was arguably the point. Sometimes you have to use completely specious legal reasoning to prevent injustice. ( )

Later in this century, humanity is working out the kinks in maintaining a sustainable human presence on Mars. There are some permanent settlers, and there are a couple of ships that do regular slingshot runs between Earth/Luna and Mars, never actual pausing as they await rendezvous with ships that dock on-the-fly to deliver and pick up people and supplies. The ship Aldrin is one of these vessels, and its captain has been charged with mutiny for refusing to obey orders from the governing body. A young but self-possessed Inspector General has been brought on board to investigate and decide the merits. She is suspicious of the official hurry, since the ship will not be at its destination for months. She has the official complaints and wants to hear the defense, but the extraordinarily loyal crew stonewalls her, forcing her to offer them off-the-record interviews. Their stories of the captain, known to be extremely abrasive and demanding, shows the parts of his history for which they were present, and quite a bit of it involves the early exploration of Mars and the difficulties of the human push to settle there.

The stories are an effective ploy, although the writing is occasionally awkward for what is presented as spoken narrative. I found myself drawn in to each person's testimony and to the Inspector's efforts to defuse a volatile situation between the crew and the soldiers brought aboard to apparently be something of a threat to both her and the crew. Matters are much more complicated than they appear in the official version (as might be expected) and she has her work cut out in reading between the lines. This is a definite read for Mars aficionados and for those who like either spaceship tales or courtroom dramas. ( )

DNF. Could not stand any of the characters. Came off as more of a political novel rather than sci-fi. ( )